1997 Mercury Mountaineer Body & structure Problems
Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Body & structure reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Dec 11, 2009
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 328 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0
What this page shows
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming body or structure
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Body & structureDriver assistanceFuel system+1 more
Filed Dec 11, 2009
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. HE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULT STEERING, BECAUSE THE FRONT SWAY BAR LINKAGE HAD FRACTURED. SECONDLY HE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SMELL AN ODOR OF GASOLINE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIRDLY DURING BRAKE APPLICATION THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD ALSO STICK. THIS CONDITION WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD. LASTLY THE MAIN BAR THAT HELD THE TWO BUMPERS TOGETHER HAD CORRODED. THE FAILURES WERE DESCRIBED IN RECALLS (98V060000, 00V422000, 00V402000). HOWEVER HE WAS ADVISED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED ACCORDING THE RECALLS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 157,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 156,000.
NHTSA ID
10295389
Incident
Oct 21, 2009
Mileage
156,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed May 24, 2004
I HAVE OWNED MY 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER SINCE 1998. WITHIN A YEAR AFTER PURCHASE ONE OF THE REAR DOOR MECHANISMS BROKE. SINCE IT IS RARE FOR ANYONE TO RIDE IN THE BACK SEAT, I DIDN'T BOTHER FIXING IT. THIS PAST WEEKEND THE OTHER SIDE BROKE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A REAR PASSENGER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY WITHOUT SOMEONE OPENING THE DOORS FROM OUTSIDE. I NOTICED THIS SAME COMPLAINT HAS BEEN FILED IN YOUR DATABASE BY NUMEROUS CUSTOMERS. I PHONED FORD/MERCURY AT THEIR TOLL FREE NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO FACTORY RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. I PHONED MY LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS A REOCCURING PROBLEM WITH MY MODEL VEHICLE AND THAT FORD HAD MADE DESIGN CHANGES TO SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS BUT HAD REFUSED TO RECALL THE EARLIER MODELS. THIS IS A DANGER TO ANYONE RIDING IN THE BACK SEAT OF THESE VEHICLES, AS THE DOOR BREAKS WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN YOU TRY TO EXIT YOU JUST CAN'T. ONCE AGAIN, FORD HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND HAS REFUSED TO ACT IN THE WELFARE OF ITS CUSTOMERS.*AK
NHTSA ID
10073055
Incident
May 21, 2004
Mileage
10,000 mi
Body & structureOther / unspecified
Filed Apr 6, 2004
THE TAILGATE OF MY 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER FELL OFF IN JULY 2001 DUE TO RUST AND / OR METAL FATIGUE AND / OR AN ENGINEERING DEFECT? IT WAS REPLACED ON 7/30/01 AND THE METAL IS NOW CRACKING AGAIN. FORD MOTOR COMPANY DOES NOT SEEM INTERESTED! *LA
NHTSA ID
10065617
Incident
Apr 6, 2004
Mileage
59,800 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 16, 2001
PULLING HANDLE ON EITHER DOOR WHILE LOCKED WILL NOT UNLOCK DOOR. INSTEAD HANDLE BREAKAGE IS LIKELY TO OCCUR, TRAPPING OCCUPANTS INSIDE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. DOOR CAN ONLY BE OPENED FROM EXTERIOR OF VEHICLE AFTERWARDS.*AK
NHTSA ID
739440
Incident
Aug 15, 2000
Body & structure
Filed Aug 24, 2000
BOTH INTERIOR BACK DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT ALLOW ESCAPE FROM THE INTERIOR. I KNOW OF OTHER EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEERS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM
NHTSA ID
728948
Incident
Dec 1, 1999
Body & structure
Filed Jul 17, 2000
REAR DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WHEN VEHICLE IS IN GEAR. DOOR LOCKS, AND HAS TO BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
865471
Body & structure
Filed May 30, 2000
TWO REAR DOORS WON'T OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. HANDLES STICK OUT AND WONT MOVE FROM THE OUTSIDE. IN EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY OCCUPANT MAY BE STUCK. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ID
862718
Incident
May 20, 2000
Body & structure
Filed Oct 26, 1999
THE REAR DOOR DOES NOT REMAIN IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE STRUTS . *AK
NHTSA ID
851795
Body & structure
Filed Oct 8, 1999
Crash reportedFire reported
THE BACK DOORS LOCK AUTOMATICALLY, THE INSIDE DOORS HANDLES ON BOTH SIDES HAVE BROKEN, AND NO ONE IN THE BACK SEAT CAN GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT OPENING THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. IF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE, NO ONE IN THE BACK COULD GET OUT QUICKLY.
NHTSA ID
712997
Incident
Sep 3, 1999
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own